Taco Bell will roll out its 10-item Luxe Value Menu on Jan. 22, with a curated selection of new creations, such as Salted Caramel Churros and the Avocado Ranch Chicken Stacker, and returning favorites, including Spicy Potato Soft Tacos and, each priced at $3 or less. The menu is designed to offer flexible and affordable options for a variety of dining occasions. Rewards Members can get early access starting Jan. 16, with additional exclusive deals, such as a $1 item offer on Jan. 27 for select users.

Noma will host a residency in Los Angeles from March 11 to June 26, with reservations costing $1,500 per person. The price reflects the expense of bringing 130 employees from Denmark to California, including housing and transportation, chef-owner Rene Redzepi says. Noma will also set up a retail shop during the residency, and 25-and-younger hospitality workers will be able to dine without paying the $1,500.

Despite the prevalence of humanoid robots at CES 2026, experts on a panel at the event agreed that robots are unlikely to replace humans in kitchens, writes Michael Wolf. Chef Tyler Florence and robotics experts Nicole Maffeo of Gambit Robotics and Ali Kashani of Serve Robotics said robots are best suited for repetitive and dangerous tasks.

The trend of "fibermaxxing," which involves increasing fiber intake, is gaining attention as a potential way to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, particularly among younger individuals. Registered dietitians Eliza Whitaker, Maya Feller and Jessica McAllister emphasize the benefits of a fiber-dense diet, such as improved digestion and reduced cholesterol levels, while cautioning against excessive intake that can lead to gastrointestinal issues. The American Cancer Society highlights the rising rates of colorectal cancer in people under 55 years old, underscoring the importance of dietary fiber.

The global shrimp aquaculture market, contributing $72 billion and 5.88 million metric tons in 2024, faces significant food safety challenges. Major producers such as Ecuador, Indonesia and China rely on aquaculture, but the USDA has found that over 47% of seafood imports are contaminated. Shrimp processing involves steps such as raw material reception, deheading, grading, soaking, cooking and freezing, with stringent measures needed to manage bacterial loads and ensure product quality, writes John Wigglesworth, a seafood technologist.

California Pizza Kitchen has launched its Smart Swaps menu, which offers diners the ability to customize familiar dishes with healthier ingredient modifications. Choices include swapping out noodles for zucchini ribbons, transforming burgers into protein-rich bowls and adding more vegetarian or high-fiber options. All Smart Swaps menu items are available nationwide for dine-in, takeout or delivery at the same price as the originals.

Edible gold and silver have maintained their status as symbols of luxury throughout history, with roots in ancient Egypt, Rome and South Asia. Today, chefs worldwide use these metals to embellish dishes, although they have no taste and are biologically inert. The rise of imitation gold and silver poses health risks, highlighting the importance of purchasing from trusted sources.

Uncertainty is the only certainty in business today, writes author and speaker Simone Stolzoff, who advises leaders to prioritize building tolerance for it by clarifying what is constant, such as your company's values, innovating instead of planning and looking for red flags that may signal a need to pivot. "Being a leader is like sitting in a rowboat on a foggy lake. You can't see far ahead or know precisely where you'll end up, but you have two jobs: to maintain faith that you'll eventually reach land and to keep rowing," Stolzoff writes.

Join ACF chefs, Michael Thrash and Rocco Paradiso, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at 2 p.m. ET, as they explore the ACF 2026 Trends Report and discuss some of the culinary trends we can expect to see grow in the upcoming year. From the continued growth of emerging flavors from around the globe, to the resurgence of afternoon tea, to meat back on the rise and the center of the plate, these chefs will discuss all of trends shaping ACF's featured content for 2026. We hope you'll tune as these chefs kick off the first ACF Chef's Table Webinar of the new year with a conversation around these exciting topics. Register today.